I have Issues.

I am leaving on a road trip tomorrow for my family reunion to the Motherland. I have a kerbillion things that I need to be doing right now. I am sitting on my duff blogging, earnestly avoiding all the work that is ahead of me. I have issues. Big time.
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Pretty much my family reunions rock. Check that, the Potrie family reunions really rock. Sorry other family reading this, but it is true. They are held every two years over a long weekend in August. There is a theme to the reunion, activities planned, communal meals where each family takes responsibility for feeding the hoard at a time. This years theme is "No Empty Seats Please." Which I believe is supposed to be a two fold type of theme. Because literally, in the sense of our reunion, lets have no empty seats (like everyone attend AND be active participants). Then I think it is also supposed to mean in the philosophical sense of lets all get our buns to Heaven, altogether, no empty seats... in Heaven... I might be a little off on that aspect.
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Probably my favorite favorite part of the reunion is the Family Auction. It is so magical, and ingenious. Everyone needs to pay a portion to cover the costs of camping (family's in charge of designated meals buy the food for their specific meal). Everyone brings at least one item for every member of their family, preferable homemade. Said items are Auctioned off. The money you pay for these items then goes to the cost of the reunion. Any overages go to the family history fund or something like that. There have been many fantastic treasures in these auctions, and the bidding can get fierce and oh so fun! Last year I did a needle point of President Hinckley's 6 B's and framed them.
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This year I opted for something of an edible nature. I made granola! I got the recipe from my fabulous friend Rachel . And of course I couldn't just make ONE type of granola, I had to make 7. Over achiever... I know...

All my magical supplies. Notice the onions and broccoli on the left side of the picture? I assure you these did not go in the granola. If I am going to be cooking forever... might as well dirty every pot and pan I own, right? I made broccoli soup with those ;)

Hello lovely ingredients! Did I mention when I was baking this up? Well I needed to do it when the girls were in bed (they just get into everything too much). So I was working on all these shenanigans to pert near 2 in the morning.

Here is my first batch coming out of the oven. I made two base batches, then separated the granola and added other ingredients to the smaller portions of the base to get my "flavors".

Here are the fruits of my labors! Flavors include:

Island Breeze (Candied pineapple with lightly toasted coconut)

Blueberry (dried blueberries)

Mixed Berry (dried cherries, blueberries, cranberries)

Cherry Almond (dried cherries with lightly toasted chopped almonds)

Nut Lover...he he he... ( lightly toasted and chopped almonds and pecans)

Cranberry Macadamia Nut (dried cranberry and lightly toasted and chopped macadamia nuts)

Apricot Walnut (dried and chopped apricots with lightly toasted walnuts)

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I have two baggies of each flavor so I am going to make up two baskets that have one of each flavor and advertise it as a granola sampler! Aren't I clever?

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Another highlight is Family Council which is held Sunday evening. Since I am an "adult" now I can attend which is a pretty big deal in my book. I always remember Family Council as being this super top secret thing. No kids allowed. ADULTS ONLY! Us cousins would always imagine that they were eating tons of treats, candy and ice cream and discussing confidential Top Secret family items. In reality it is to go over the next reunion, who will be in charge, items of interest that the family should be aware of. I have yet to eat ice cream during it. I feel really official when someone makes a motion, then someone seconds the motion and we all vote on it. Like I am for real an adult now.

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Well I am pretty certain that this could be my longest blog post ever. I get an A in the procrastination department. Packing and Laundry here I come! I will be MIA blogging wise until the end of next week!